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- ALBANY, N.Y.
(Reuters) - Philosophy doctorate student Erik Sprague wants to explore
the meaning of life -- as a reptile.
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- Sprague has had his teeth sharpened, bumps implanted
into his forehead and green scales or swirls tattooed across his face and
body in his quest to become a reptile.
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- "I like reptiles, especially sea crocodiles, although
many of them don't make great house pets," said Sprague, 27, who is
taking a break from his studies in the State University of New York in
Albany to appear in circus shows, like the Jim Rose Circus.
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- Sprague claims he is one of five people in the world
who have undergone what he calls "single-theme conversions" and
appear in circus side shows. The others have appeared as a zebra, tiger,
leopard and a gigantic blue puzzle known as "The Enigma." He
is the first to choose a reptile.
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- He does not consider himself odd, he says, because many
people tattoo themselves.
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- Sprague counts sword-swallowing, fire-breathing, tapping
nails into his nose and piercing needles into his cheeks among his other
talents. He also picks up bar stools with ropes attached to his ears and
swings them around. Another of his tricks is to lift car batteries with
chains attached to his nipples.
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- He is scheduled to appear next month on Turner Broadcasting
System cable channel's new "Ripley's Believe it or Not."
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